The Law: TV Solves Miranda

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The Supreme Court's Miranda decision has dismayed some policemen, embittered some prosecutors, and baffled some judges. But U.S. television is taking it in stride. In Denver last week, a meeting of 500 district attorneys from across the country was visited by Actor Ben Alexander, burly, laconic co-star with Jack Webb in the popular Dragnet series of the 1950s. Puffing his new Felony Squad show, due next month on ABC, Alexander said: "The Supreme Court says we can't interrogate crooks any more. So what choice do we have?" His answer: "We shoot 'em."

Oh Dragnet, Webb and Alexander trapped their suspects through clever but ever-polite cross-questioning in the squeal room. Not so on Felony Squad. "On our show the viewers will see the crime committed, so they know the guy's guilty. That way, nobody gets upset when we shoot him." Most often the TV crook will bite the dust in the usual gunfight finale, but on occasion he may die in an auto crash or fall to his death from a tower or cliff. In short, the good guys will still be beating the bad guys—at least on TV.